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Silver Springs State Park opens

OCALA, Fla. - Visitors will find a mixture of old and new at the brand new Silver Springs State Park near Ocala.

The new park opens Tuesday at the site of a decades-old tourist attraction that featured glass-bottom boats.

The Ocala Star-Banner reports the boats will run three times a day, piloted by the same veteran captains who've ferried visitors up and down the Silver River for years.

State and local officials have spent millions on anti-pollution projects to preserve the springs, curtailing the flow of nitrates that have robbed the water of clarity. State officials say efforts to help Silver Springs will receive $20 million of the $37 million in springs-restoration Gov. Rick Scott announced in September.

Park rangers will be available for presentations on the springs, its history and wildlife.